Damn I'm tired tonight. It's been a somewhat frustrating and tiring week. Today though, the lovely Della Perrone allowed us to steal her old couch and we are delighted with it. The cats are rather tormented by the scent of dogs but we are happy to welcome it to our house. Now I sit, listening to music, watching it get dark. Owen and Ernie are out driving Cyril for a bit. I'm trying to push all thoughts of work and worries out of my head and am reading a Regency romance novel while sipping wine. It's working, but it's slow going. Tomorrow we take off to chase our steam engine. I think it will give me the power. Beauty always does, whether it's an old steam engine or Ian Hunter's songs or my sweet boys' faces. So I will get there. I will get there. I'm just tired tonight.
I remember driving to the hospital and seeing people walking down the sidewalk and thinking, "They're just walking around like it's a normal day." Earth shattering stuff of course. And now, we're 18 years on? For god's sake...I was only six months older than he is now when I met Ernie.
He's happy and excited. 18. My baby's a man. Still my sweet pea though. Leo has a wonderful heart. You can feel it when you see his sweet smile and his beautiful brown eyes. He's always the one who will quietly ask me how I am, or how my day was, or when I'm upset, just sit with me. His steady presence is such a comfort. I talk about Owen a lot on these pages because he entertains us, and generally Leo prefers that I not write too much about him, but let me tell you, my Leo is an incredible person. He takes his own path and has always had the confidence to do that. I am very proud of who he is. My brilliant, funny, steady, sweet, stubborn boy.
It still seems as though he should look like this though...
Or even this...
Off to chase steam engines on Friday. If you have any Minneapolis-St. Paul recommendations, do let me know
Well the Karma gods smote me down. I guess I had to pay for all that fun I had in Nashville as I've had as wretched a week as I've had in a long time. Much of it is my own fault which makes it worse. Owen's as sick as dog with the worst cold ever. He didn't even SIT in Cyril over the weekend, much less drive him...and he canceled band practice so we knew he was really sick. On top of that I have to work like a dog to get stuff done this week. Damn. I guess I'm whining. And my ulcer is killing me again but I don't know if it's stress or the white wine I drank to console myself. Eh. Onward, right?
At least last night's dinner was a success. It was a test run for the next house concert. Braised chicken thighs with kalamata olives, cauliflower and Greek spices over turmeric mashed potatoes. A bit of feta and parsley on top. I made it over the weekend but we saved it for a work night and of course it was better because it had a day or two under its belt. Turmeric mashed potatoes inspired by a friend's Potatoes brûlée with turmeric and saffron. Yes. If you're on instagram you really should follow @professornoms!
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 large red onion, chopped 2 to 4 garlic cloves (to taste), minced 6 to 8 chicken legs and/or thighs, skinned 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice, pulsed in a food processor ½ teaspoon cinnamon Salt and freshly ground pepper ½ teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves 1 small or 1/2 large cauliflower, cored, broken into florets, and sliced about 1/2 inch thick 12 kalamata olives (about 45 grams), rinsed, pitted and cut in half (optional) 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 to 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep, heavy lidded skillet or casserole and brown the chicken, in batches if necessary, about 5 minutes on each side. Remove the pieces to a plate or bowl as they’re browned. Pour off the fat from the pan. Add the vinegar to the pan and scrape up all the bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add the remaining tablespoon of the olive oil to the pan, and turn the heat down to medium. Add the onion and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pan, until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low, cover and let the onion cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until it is lightly browned and very soft.
Add the garlic and stir together for a minute or two more, until the garlic is fragrant, then add the tomatoes and their juice, the cinnamon, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and simmer 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the mixture is reduced slightly and fragrant.
Return the chicken pieces to the pot, along with any juices that have accumulated in the bowl. If necessary, add enough water to barely cover the chicken. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes.
Add the cauliflower and kalamata olives and simmer for another 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender and the chicken is just about falling off the bone. Stir in the parsley, taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with grains, with the feta sprinkled on top if desired.
Man, I had kind of a crappy day yesterday and got home in a foul mood. We were supposed to go to the panel discussion at the library about John Isberg's local music documentary. I was in such a bad mood that I started wavering. Owen went full court press convincing me to go, and Leo was sweetly sympathetic. God I love my boys. I finally went, not that I really wanted to at that point, but I knew I'd be pissed as hell at myself if I didn't.
I was glad I did of course. John did a fabulous job putting this together and I think it meant a lot to a lot of different people. It took me a while to get myself into the right mode...but I got to see some people I love and I got a hug from Brad Elvis and that always makes me happy. We sat with Debbie Stewart and Sasha and that helped too. Listening to so many people talk about Mabel's and Screams and the CU scene and the fucking BOND we all feel...it slowly started to soften my edges. Afterward we talked to a few more people we loved.
We got into the car to head home and Owen sent a text. "parents the oven is still at 400 do you want me to slap in a pizza or something for when you get home?" Snort.
Ernie and I sat in the living room decompressing and Owen sat on the couch playing guitar. He asked me what I wanted to hear and I told him She Tore Me Down. As he played it the last of my bad day seemed to slink away.
October 27, 2017....Peter Case with the Taxi Boys. It will do your heart good.
Saturday was a great day. We started off with Brock Zeman and Blair Hogan at 11:00 at Hatwrks and good god I just loved them. I'd listened to some of their music and really liked it, but this was the first time seeing them live, and it certainly won't be the last. I leaned over half way and whispered to Ernie, "We must have them come play" and he nodded happily.
When we first got there and sat down on a little wooden bench I thought, "damn I don't think I can sit here for three hours," but I was completely wrong. The time flew by and I never noticed the bench. After Brock and Blair was Anne McCue, whom I love. She is just absolutely amazing. And she had my beloved David Olney come up and do a song with her. No wonder I didn't notice the wooden bench. Mary Sack did a brilliant job setting this up. I'm sure the bands that played after were great too...
We chatted with folks in between and then David played. Damn. I just love that man so much. And he was wearing an orange shirt which oddly worked with the orange details near the ceiling. Few people look good in orange. Owen and David. Anyway, he was amazing of course. He completely made Ernie cry when he sang Vincent's Blues. Ernie said he thought it was one of the best shows he'd ever seen David do. Hmm. I couldn't agree with that...it's kinda like saying you love one of your children more than the other.... Oh, and he did Red Guitar. EEK!!! So happy! I got a chance to give him a hug and say hello and to wave at his wife Gine but as much as I hated to, we had to run because I really wanted to catch Aaron Lee Tasjan at Little Harpeth at the Cafe Rooster show. I'd wanted to catch Brian Wright too, but well, Olney you know... We got there just in time for Brian Wright to say thank you. Oh well. Then Aaron Lee came out and blew the place up. It was perfect because it was the exact opposite of the Brown's Diner show, but equally intensely wonderful. Totally rock and roll, banging and loud and perfect. We hung out there for awhile, listened to Hunter Begley of Yellow Feather. He had a Kevn Kinneyish voice...I liked him. Also heard Darrin Bradbury and then Jon Latham with a full band. Lots of records to buy
At that point it was after 5 pm and I needed a goddamned glass of wine. We went over to my beloved 5 Spot to catch the end of the Aussie BBQ show. Mostly I just wanted a glass of wine. It was packed and hot in there. We ended up wedged in the corner by the door to the patio which wasn't bad--at least we had a place to lean. Kasey Chambers did a set and was pretty incredible. It was so crowded I could barely see her but damn she was great. The Captain. But Ain't No Little Girl was a fucking knockout. At some point Tom Mason had walked by and I'd grabbed him for a hug. As we were standing there he asked about my leg, as we'd texted the night before and I'd told him I'd fallen and bashed it up a bit. I told him it was fine...stiff and sore, but fine. He told me I should sit down but I said we'd looked, there was no place to sit. So then somehow he escorted me to a table and got me a seat next to Phil Kaufman. Tom Mason, my guardian angel. Good God I love that man. He truly is one of my favorite people on earth. So I chatted for a minute or two with Phil, Ernie got me another glass of wine, and all was right with the world. After Kasey played she had her back up band, Grizzlee Train, do a short set. OMFG. They were incredible. Two babyfaced boys, an acoustic guitar and drums and they blew the place up. Damn, I already used that phrase---think of something similar, will you? They kinda reminded me of a harder Lonely Trailer. I loved them. Phil left to hunt down Kasey Chambers and Tom left to go home to his wife. I finished my wine and we headed out to the next venue, Bobby's Idle Hour.
We walked up to the place and there was a group of people standing in front of the door. Ernie asked them if they were waiting to get in and they said, "No, they're still playing music." Cracked me up. I guess it was a deterrent for them...not us. We walked in and ran smack into the wonderful Amelia White, Rodney Metoyer and then the Wild Ponies, Doug and Telisha. Lots of hugs all around. In the corner stage was Kevin Gordon playing not just with Ron Eoff and Joe McMahon, but also our beloved Paul Griffith. Damn, damn, damn that felt good.
After they finished the Wild Ponies, Rod Picott, Will Kimbrough and Phil Madeira all did a song or two. It was called songs of love and protest and they were just that. Will Kimbrough has to get top pick for turning the President's grab them by the pussy rant into a musical composition. Heartbreakingly, sickeningly, brilliant funny. I love those people. They ended and people started to tumble out. We said goodbye to a few folks, gave Jon Byrd a kiss, and headed home. There was lots more music but we'd been listening for 9 plus hours and I'd sweated through every stitch I was wearing and would have sold my soul for a hair tie...so we headed back to our little home and tried to stop vibrating. I took a long shower while Ernie picked up junk food and lord, I just felt so good. Damned good.
So by Saturday we were starting to get into the routine. We got up, headed out to the Nashville Biscuit House for breakfast. Eggs over easy, sausage, potatoes and a side of sliced tomatoes. Delightful. We went back to our AirBnB for a bit and then I started getting antsy to get going. I really, really, really wanted to see Brock Zeman and Blair Hogan at the Hatwrks show that Mary Sack had put together.
Ernie and I have slightly different approaches to being on time (you do remember he and Owen missed their flight from DC after the Groovies show, right?). We then had one of those interactions that makes you realize how god damned married you are.
Me: Should we get going?
ELB: In a minute, I want to finish this.
Me: (a few minutes later) So maybe we should go?
ELB: Yeah, let me finish this.
Me: (a few minutes later) Come on, we have to get going. I don't want to be late and miss them.
ELB: Ok. What shirt should I wear?
Me: (sigh) The blue one.
ELB: Oh, I have to go to the bathroom first.
Me: (sigh)
We finally get in the car.
ELB: Oh, I need to get some gas.
Me: We don't have TIME!
ELB: Ok, I'll get it after.
Me: NOOO! We have to leave RIGHT after David Olney so we can make the Aaron Lee Tasjan show at Little Harpeth!
ELB: Well, we need to get gas at some point.
Me: (in my mind I'm yelling "BROCK ZEMAN AND BLAIR HOGAN ARE TWO OF THE PEOPLE I WANT TO SEE MOST AND YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE ME LATE FOR THEM?" Instead, I just looked at him)
ELB: (long sigh)
Me: Oh, don't start that sighing thing.
ELB: (in tone of intense irritation) Cynthia
Then we found a gas station, got gas, and arrived in plenty of time for the show.
We are so fucking married.
Brock Zeman and Blair Hogan were fantastic. We really hope to get them to the house one of these days.
I couldn't sleep Thursday night. It's kind of like after a house concert...the adrenalin is still going even though I am physically tired. Eventually toward morning I finally slept hard, and waking up felt like the first time I'd truly been relaxed in too long. We had plans to meet our beloved Mark Rubel for lunch so we had a lazy morning; we stopped at a coffee shop for some iced tea and coffee, and relaxed.
We headed over to Blackbird Studios to meet Mark, where he teaches at Blackbird Academy. Lord I love him. He showed us around...his amazing classroom, and then the even more incredible complex of studios. Really mindblowing. I kept thinking that we MUST get Owen down here to see it all!
This was the studio that fascinated me the most.... I almost told Mark that it reminded me a of a herring smokehouse museum in Lubec, Maine but then I thought perhaps I was crazy. I went back and looked through my pictures however...and sure enough---in Lubec, Maine: the sticks for smoking the herring. I remember how beautiful they looked...and of course even though the smokehouse had closed in the 90's....still thick with the smell of the smoke.
We had a delightful lunch at a Vietnamese place near the studio. After eating not great food for a day or so it tasted fresh and perfect, and I adore my Rubels so I was incredibly happy. Trust Mark. We walked back to the academy and I struggled to keep up with the two long legged men...I felt like Judi's dog Wally when Ernie would try to take him running....his poor little legs going triple time. Heh.
We toyed around with a few things but ended up going back to the house to hang out for a bit. There's so much music that it's hard not to get caught up in the "but we're MISSING something" mode but I also wanted to just relax and enjoy myself. There were WAY too many things to do that evening but I finally decided that since I had NEVER seen Tim Carroll, AND he was playing at my beloved 5 Spot...we did that. Nice crunchy guitars---I loved it. I've loved him since the mmmm early/mid 90's days of the Blue Chieftains on some Diesel Only compilations I believe...took me awhile to make the connection but finally a song or two did it for me. He was great. I went through a phase of listening to the Tim Carroll and the Orange (is that it?) ep when I was trying to fall asleep. I know it's an odd choice...it's not exactly lullabies, but damn it worked for me...and it sounded so good to hear those songs.
After that we headed over to the American Legion for a thing Rodney Metoyer had put together. We walked up to Anne McCue playing outside. Lord she is incredible. We headed in after a bit (oh, and I got to meet Rodney in real life for the first time!) and found Amy Speace playing, then Gaelyn Lea (2016 Tiny Desk winner), then, awwww, our beloved Rod Picott. We got a chance to chat with Rod for a bit and we swapped picture taking with Wanda and Bryan Smith. These pictures express exactly how I felt.
Amy Speace
Gaelyn Lea
Our boy.
We headed out, we were tossing plans between Kevin Gordon and Walter Salas-Humara. We decided it was important to have sustenance so we headed over to Mas Tacos Por Favor...where I had never been (Ernie was leading the way the whole weekend, the jerk). We got a parking place close by and I innocently got out of the car and attempted to walk across the street.
Sigh.
Evidently there was a little ridge in the road which was NOT apparent in the dark. Before I could sense a thing I was flat down on the ground between two parked cars. Ernie tried to help me up and I graciously said, "LEAVE ME ALONE FOR A MINUTE." Poor man. He did eventually help me up and I hobbled numbly into the place. I ordered quickly without much thought (in hindsight I would have gone for a fish and a fried avocado). I hissed at Ernie to get me a glass of wine and found a seat. He let me hold his beer to cool off my scraped palms. Man....those things just shake you up. Despite that my tacos were fantastic (not incredibly crazy about the quinoa but two was plenty anyway). They were closing up so I hobbled out. We got in the car and I just kinda wanted to cry. Such a stupid thing. We had wanted to go out but I hurt like hell and I was bleeding a bit so headed home (so to speak). I was sorry to miss so much but it felt right and it had been a great day already.
Damn we had fun. And I think we even kinda deserved it!
Home and feeling glowingly good from all the great music we heard and good friends we saw in Nashville at Americana Fest. It almost seems like a dream, but it was real, and it was magic. Restorative magic.
We got into town a bit after 3:00 pm on Thursday, and settled into our Air BnB. Here's a picture or two before we destroyed it.
Lovely.
We headed over the Little Harpeth Brewery (no wine, sigh) and caught the tail end of the Lily Hiatt set. I wish, wish, wish we'd seen more but loved what we saw. As I was standing there, after working myself towards the front, I realized out of side of my eye that the man next to me was maybe....yup, John Hiatt. He was very happy and proud. Nice. Ernie got a Lily Hiatt poster signed for Heather, we listened to a bit of the next band and decided to head out.
We got to the 5 Spot just as it was opening. Damn I love that place. Got to finally meet Mark Robinson, Sue Havlish, Joe Wolfe-Mazares, and Wanda and Bryan Smith in person. Oh, and I got a hug and some chat from Kevin Gordon, whom I adore. Got to see Cathy Stayman, our beloved Mary Sack, and of course Van and Karin too....am I forgetting anybody? Oh, I got to meet John Partipilo....charming, and God knows he's crazy talented. OH, and I met John Hadley. John HADLEY! The band was wonderful...so good---thank you Mark for such a great evening! I really enjoyed Dave Coleman who was sitting in, and whom I wasn't familiar with. And damn I love the big tumblers of wine I get there...and the POPCORN. I really don't eat that much of it, I just get so excited that they have popcorn that I order it. And yet again, charming bartenders.
The evening wore on, and there was this:
And this...
Yes. I know. I love them all so much. Our beautiful friends. We actually had to race off before we saw Kevin Gordon play.....decisions are TOUGH. However Aaron Lee Tasjan was playing a pop up show at Brown's Diner....so off we went.
We got there early enough that I got the super tippy counter seat nearest the music (I can't really call it a stage). Lord it was wonderful. Utterly wonderful. The sound was so perfect...and listening to the harmonies was magic. Brian Wright also did a song, as did Ladies Gun Club and Russell Thompson. Loved them all....truly did. And good God but Aaron Lee's version of Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow that he played because his father likes it (who was there) was weepingly beautiful.
We chatted to Aaron Lee Tasjan for a bit and he was utterly delightful. I never think people who play all over the place will remember me. I should have asked for a picture. I get shy. See? If Brown's served wine I would have! Damned Nashville liquor licenses. Anyway, it made us happy to see him. It's been a year and a half since he played our house and we are so proud and happy to see him doing so well...and keep trying to spread the gospel.
The whole afternoon and evening just felt so right. My people. I love being with my people. By the time we left Brown's it was well after 9:00 and we realized we'd never eaten lunch or dinner, and were tired from a crazy busy week. We headed back to our place with some junk food and sat and giggled to each other.
You can hear me laughing in sheer pleasure at the end of each of these songs.....so good.
Thanks to my beautiful boys for letting me not worry about leaving them at home.
I'm sitting here drinking wine and listening to Ian Hunter, Leo's upstairs computering, and Owen and Ernie are out in Cyril driving around until the Papa Del's pizza is ready to pick up because I SURE as hell am NOT cooking dinner tonight.
The things getting me through?
1. My beloved Nick Rudd is going to see Ian Hunter tomorrow night.
2. Ernie and Owen picked me up from work in the bug.
3. Leo's feels better and smiled at me sweetly and was sympathetic about my day.
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